15 
Mr. Crace said, that when the cuttings were being made for the Suez 
Canal he rode through them, and found it was perfectly evident that the sea 
went up to the Bitter Lakes. There were strata, of salt in some cases 6 feet 
thick. He thought they were all deeply indebted to Mr. Holland for his 
paper. (Cheers.) 
In reply to further questions from Bishop Perry and others, 
Mr. Holland said : — The primitive dwellings on the Sinaitic Peninsula 
were very like the beehive-houses of Scotland. There was no doubt that the 
Bitter Lake was connected with the sea, but the question was whether it was 
so at the time of the Exodus. Further down the gulf were to be found raised 
beaches, so that there had been an upheaval of the coast. The Pillar of Cloud 
and the Pillar of Fire were certainly a difficulty in regard to a division of the 
Israelitic host. It could be got over by supposing that the main body was. 
guided by the pillars, while communication was kept up with the smaller 
bodies. A liquid exuding from the tamarisk tree was called manna ; but 
this could not be the manna of the Bible, because it was not white, and 
because there would not have been enough of it to feed the Israelites. 
A Member stated, that those in the neighbourhood of the Suez Canal said 
that since the construction of the canal the rainfall had largely increased. 
It was possible that when the sea extended further up the country it was 
much more fruitful, and tamarisk trees might have existed in much larger 
numbers. 
Mr. Holland said, that it was proved by the clay deposits to be found in 
some of the valleys that there was a much larger amount of vegetation in 
former times than there was at present. 
The meeting was then adjourned. 
